25 years ago (exactly!), I sat with the Neonatologist and Head Newborn Nursery Nurse of the Frankfurt Regional Army Medical Center in Frankfurt, Germany. My water had broken five days earlier, so the much-planned-for homebirth with the German midwife (hebamme) was out and a birth in the military hospital was in. I'd had a UC birthing Meghannand while I didn't want to do that again, I also didn't want to have a baby in the hospital. But, here I was, preparing for what I didn't want.

I know! Five days earlier? You can read Aimee's complete birth storyto hear the details of how it came to be that I delivered my baby in the car seven days after my membranes ruptured.

Here, I share the Birth Plan I worked out with the doctor and nurse that Friday afternoon. And yes, it's true... the nurse typed up my birth plan. And we all signed it. Rare, indeed.

Rarer still, they obeyed it to the letter.

It seems like a minute ago I was sitting, hugely pregnant, negotiating what turned into a great birth story. Aimee turns 25 on Wednesday. All I can say is "Wow!"

Reader Comments (3)

Wow indeed. Nowadays, my midwife saw my birthplan and simply said, "you don't need to bring that to the hospital." She knew what I wanted, and she suggested I not call it a birth plan but more of a wish list type thing. I did bring it but it stayed in my bag as she was there and no, I didn't need it. I was able to have most of my requests met, and it was no problem. But, without a midwife in the room, I would have had to pray for luck with the nurse assigned to me.

What a scary last paragraph...but it's true. Mom should assume the responsibility for what she choses for the birth which belongs to both mom and baby.